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Telephone poles and wires will be with us for a long time to come, but wireless communications and the Internet are having a growing impact on mobile businesses like trucking.

There has been little resistance to the Department of Transportation’s recent decision to promote a national standard for transponders and other short-range radio communications equipment.

Trucking, railroads and shippers urged Congress to give the Department of Transportation primary jurisdiction over hazardous materials transportation. However, the proposal drew fire from the AFL-CIO and the Research and Special Projects Administration.

A Congressional hearing to discuss ways to make trucks more safe is set for this morning. The hearing will bring together crash victims, traffic safety experts and representatives of the trucking industry.

Diesel engine companies thought the book was nearly closed on their dispute over emissions testing when they agreed to settle the allegations in October, but the final chapter may be months from being written.

Volvo AB has broken off merger talks with the main owner of rival Swedish truck and bus maker Scania.

A proposal for American Trucking Associations to support uniform diesel emissions standards was placed on hold after much debate last week.

Truck sales remained strong through January, topping the previous figure for the month by more than 26% in the Class 8 category and fulfilling the predictions of some manufacturing executives.

Online load-matching rivals DAT Services and Link Logistics will combine their databases to offer customers freight-matching information that covers the U.S. and Canada.

United Parcel Service says its decision to be the first express distribution company to offer customers billing in Europe’s new currency, the euro, is paying off.